Massachusetts National Guard activated for emergency shelters amid rise in migrant families
BOSTON - Gov. Maura Healey has activated the National Guard to provide services at emergency shelter hotels across Massachusetts amid a rise in migrant families arriving in the state.
Up to 250 National Guard members will assist food, transportation, medical care and other basic needs at hotels that don't have a contracted service provider. They will also help with enrolling children in local schools.
"We're grateful to the brave men and women of the National Guard for stepping up to help us ensure that every family in emergency shelter has their needs met, including access to food, transportation, medical care and education," said Healey in a statement.
This comes as Healey issued a state of emergency earlier this month over the rising number of migrant families in Massachusetts.
"Right now, the nonprofits that are in Massachusetts are stretched and so they cannot provide anymore staff," said State Sen. Jamie Eldridge (D-Middlesex and Worcester District). "So I think that's where the National Guard's men and women will fill that gap."
There are currently more than 6,000 families, including children and pregnant women, staying in emergency shelters in the state. Eldridge said most of the families are from Haiti, escaping the aftermath of the 2010 earthquakes.
"It's not only children, and with it getting soon cold, they're going to need winter jackets, things like that, school supplies. But also many of the women here are pregnant."
Healey said her office is working to secure more federal funding to help the families and streamline the process to make it easier for migrants to legally look for work.